Baby Must Haves (for me)

2 and half months in to this journey of being a mom, I've realized that babies don't need a whole lot, but there are plenty of things that make the job a whole lot easier.  Here are some of my personal baby must haves that Sawyer and I both enjoy:

Blankets for swaddling.  Sawyer loves being swaddled at bedtime.  As in won't sleep well without getting bundled up.  Now he prefers to have an arm (or both) out, but still loves a good swaddle.

Baby carrier.  I have both a wrap and a Beco Butterfly II.  Sawyer loves being in both.  It soothes him if he's being fussy and wants to be near me.  It allows me to get stuff done while keeping him happy.  Great for going shopping and not having to lug around the car seat/stroller.  I started using the wrap in the hospital since the nurses recommended holding him and keeping him close to my heart as much as possible.  I started being able to use the Beco once he hit 7 lbs.  Even Drew has worn Sawyer in the Beco.  So cute.

Activity mat.  Sawyer loves playing on his activity mat, whether it's swinging his arms at the toys or having some tummy time, the activity mat is a favorite!

Swing.  Great place to take a nap, hang out while mom cooks or is doing laundry, the swing was a great gift to receive!  Sawyer enjoys it and as taken many a nap in his.  Ours plays soothing music, and has a mobile with soothing lights.

Sure,  there are a lot of other things - bottles, pacifiers, diapers, etc that you need.  However these are somethings that aren't necessary for survival, but for sanity.

PS Sawyer is such a big boy - 9 lbs 10 oz at his last doctor's visit!  And he's outgrowing newborn clothes!  Whoa!

Two Months

Sawyer turned two months just in time for Mother's Day.  He is getting bigger and bigger, and it is so neat to watch all the developments.

Over the last month:

• He's sleeping longer stretches at night.  He's getting at least one 4 hour stretch in each night.  Which helps Drew since he's on duty all night.
• Smiling and laughing more and more.  Won't do it on command for the camera, but gives lots of smiles to us and Grandma and Granddaddy.
• Eating more and more.  Drinks a about 3-4 oz during at least one of his feedings.  The doctor says he's a very efficient eater.
• Doubled his birth weight!  Almost 9 lbs!  
• With that he is starting to push the limits of some of his newborn clothes.  Some of his footed outfits are getting tight.
• I started back to work, still on 3rd shift.  The going to work isn't as hard as having to go to sleep when I get home.  
• Still loves being swaddled.  Wrap him up in a blanket and he's good to go.
• Loves being worn either in a wrap or in our Beco carrier.

Thoughts on Pregnancy & Newborns

Can't believe 8 weeks has flown by so fast! Being out of town and then starting back to work, I haven't updated like I've wanted to. I wanted to jot down some thoughts on pregnancy and the first few weeks of being a mom before I forget.

I was so fortunate to have an easy pregnancy. Sure there were some uncomfortable times and the three hour glucose test sucked, but overall everything was smooth sailing. And each milestone of pregnancy; hearing the heartbeat, finding out "its a boy", the first movements, all so special. I have to admit I've always wanted kids, but until a little over a year ago, the thought of being preggers scared me. Then not only did I want to get pregnant, but wanted to give birth naturally. Who would have thought? And it wasn't that bad! Labor and delivery was hard, but not unbearable. It definitely wasn't the horrifying thing people make it out to be. I think that's what scared me about getting pregnant. Am I ready to do it again tomorrow? No! But will I do it again? Absolutely! Especially since Sawyer was the end result :)

Although I'm no pro, there is a lot I've learned about being a mom. The first being don't beat yourself up if something doesn't go how you wanted/planned. For example I had made up in my mind that I was going to exclusively breast feed until about 6 months or whenever we introduced solids. However Sawyer coming early and being so tiny changed that, and my body didn't help matters. I had some tears of frustration and sadness, but then told myself, it may not be how I wanted, but Sawyer is getting fed and is growing. Which is most important. I'm sure there are more of those moments to come, when I'll have to give into my preconceived notions and do what is best in that moment for Sawyer.

I also learned that I'm a lot more crunchy/hippie then I would have thought. Natural birth, cloth diapers, baby wearing, etc. So glad I made those choices! Right now, I'm especially loving baby wearing. Sawyer loves the wrap and the Beco, probably because he loves snuggling close. They have kept me sane several times!

The most important thing I've learned through all of this is how quickly you fall absolutely in love with your baby. Not that I didn't expect to be head over heels, I've loved Sawyer since I first found out I was expecting. But the absolute heart bursting emotion the moment he was placed on my chest, I was almost unprepared for. It truly is a love like no other. And everyday, no matter how much (or little) sleep, or how much he cries (thankfully rarely) that love continues to grow.